(1) The college board worker retraining program funds shall be used for training programs and related support services, including financial aid, counseling, referral to training resources, job referral, and job development that:

(a) Are consistent with the unified plan for workforce development;

(b) Provide increased enrollments for dislocated workers;

(c) Provide customized training opportunities for dislocated workers; and

(d) Provide increased enrollments and support services, including financial aid for those students not receiving unemployment insurance benefits, that do not replace or supplant any existing enrollments, programs, support services, or funding sources.

(2) The college board shall develop a plan for use of the worker retraining program funds in conjunction with the workforce training customer advisory committee established in subsection (3) of this section. In developing the plan the college board shall:

(a) Provide that applicants for worker retraining program funds shall solicit financial support for training programs and give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants which are most successful in matching public dollars with financial support;

(b) Provide that applicants for worker retraining program funds shall develop training programs in partnership with local businesses, industry associations, labor, and other partners as appropriate and give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants who develop customized training programs in partnership with local businesses, industry associations, and labor organizations;

(c) Give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants serving rural areas;

(d) Ensure that applicants receiving worker retraining program funds gather information from local workforce development councils on employer workforce needs, including the needs of businesses with less than twenty-five employees;

(e) Provide for specialized vocational training at a private career school or college at the request of a recipient eligible under subsection (1)(b) of this section. Available tuition for the training is limited to the amount that would otherwise be payable per enrolled quarter to a public institution; and

(f) Give priority in receipt of funds to those applicants working toward careers in the aerospace, health care, advanced manufacturing, construction, forest product, and renewable energy industries; high-demand occupations in strategic industry clusters identified in the state comprehensive plan and the workforce development councils' local comprehensive plans for workforce educational training as identified in RCW 28C.18.080 and 28C.18.150; and occupations and industries identified by community and technical colleges in collaboration with local workforce development councils. For purposes of this section, health care includes long-term care.

(3) The executive director of the college board shall appoint a workforce training customer advisory committee by July 1, 1999, to:

(a) Assist in the development of the plan for the use of the college board worker retraining program funds and recommend guidelines to the college board for the operation of worker retraining programs;

(b) Recommend selection criteria for worker retraining programs and grant applicants for receipt of worker retraining program grants;

(c) Provide advice to the college board on other workforce development activities of the community and technical colleges;

(d) Recommend selection criteria for job skills grants, consistent with criteria established in this chapter and chapter 121, Laws of 1999. Such criteria shall include a prioritization of job skills applicants in rural areas;

(e) Recommend guidelines to the college board for the operation of the job skills program; and

(f) Recommend grant applicants for receipt of job skills program grants.

(4) Members of the workforce training customer advisory committee shall consist of three college system representatives selected by the executive director of the college board, three representatives of business selected from nominations provided by statewide business organizations, and three representatives of labor selected from nominations provided by a statewide labor organization representing a cross section of workers in the state.

Findings—Intent—2010 1st sp.s. c 24: "(1) The legislature finds that in times of severe economic recession, the state has a special obligation to help unemployed and low-income citizens access the training and education necessary to help them find and keep living wage jobs. The legislature also finds that during times of recession, when state revenues are at their lowest, demand for education and training are at their highest, making it especially important for the legislature to set clear goals and make the most efficient use of limited state resources.

(2) The legislature therefore intends to expand training and education programs, which have proven to be successful, to help Washington citizens receive the training they need. These programs include the worker retraining program, the opportunity grant program, and the opportunity internship program. The legislature further intends to create more effective intake and outreach systems to reach the greatest number of citizens and connect them to the resources they need, including college, apprenticeship, and preapprenticeship." [ 2010 1st sp.s. c 24 s 1.]